The Difference - T Wolves Blow Out

What was the difference in this game besides the fact that the Wolves top players were injured?

I feel the move by Casey to get Bargs out and keep him out towards the end made all the difference. If this team is to be successful we will need to stop running the offence through Bargs and look elsewhere. Bargs need to play way less and only come off the bench.

Bargs will find his stride eventually. The beauty of having guys like Lowry (whom we did not have last year) is that it gives Bargnani some breathing room in finding his shot. He does not have to be the main piece of the offense anymore for the Raptors to succeed. Maybe giving him more run against 2nd unit pfs will help his game refocus itself, but I really do not think limiting his minutes as much as possible will help in the long run. Let him play through this stretch.

Keeping Bargnani out in this game worked out, but I don't think its a sound strategy for the future. He'll figure it out. The team dynamic has changed a little bit with Lowry, and Barg seems to be forcing it a bit too much.

I'm very optimistic about this team if AND WHEN Bargnani gets his groove back. Could make some noise.

Keeping Bargnani out in this game worked out, but I don't think its a sound strategy for the future. He'll figure it out. The team dynamic has changed a little bit with Lowry, and Barg seems to be forcing it a bit too much.

I'm very optimistic about this team if AND WHEN Bargnani gets his groove back. Could make some noise.

Does it not bug you that Bargnani has not gotten his 'groove' back yet its the start of the season? Sure he had the flu, but that was a week+ ago. It's not like he's a rookie or anything.

For the Raps to beat better teams Fields needs to find his shot and they need to get Bargs moving around more on offense. This game our back court dramatically outclassed theirs. Probably a lot closer with Rubio healthy on that match up.

Turnovers were the big reason for this victory. Timberwolves gave the Raps so many extra possessions by turning it over. Really like that DeMar is paying the passing lanes so aggressively looking for steals.

I think (maybe "I'm hoping" is better term) that Lowry is really going to lift DeMar's play, on both ends of the floor. Simply setting the tone defensively at the guard position will get more out of DeMar intensity wise, and offensively, DeMar will get great looks playing off of an attacker like KLow (I know that DeMar did take some tough shots today, but as long as he's hitting them, I'm ok with it).

I think this season is going to be tough for Bargs. As much as I hate to stick up for the guy, his role on the team seems like it gets re-defined every season, and this year is no different. With Lowry on the floor he's not being set up and spoon-fed like he was with Calderon and he's playing like he wants to assert himself as the team's primary scorer but he's forcing it instead of letting the shots come to him in the flow of the offense. I think that a part of that is because last year he had to hunt for his shot more with the team's lack of production on that end. The Bargs I think we'd all like to see would be a guy playing more pick and pop and just letting the game come to him, finishing plays with jumpers when the ball is swung and spending more time camped out at the 3 point line to spread the floor, with the odd post-up when he gets a smaller 4 on him. This mid-range off the dribble stuff needs to stop unless he's using a fake to get open when his man closes out on him.

How does the decision to compliment the team by playing Bargs off the bench 6 years after he gets drafted, 2 years after he averaged 20+ ppg, affect the quality of the pick. I mean you cant even point at Brandon Roy anymore as the better player.